Canter's
Deli is a legend despite itself. Almost 75 years old, Canter's opened
in 1931 in Boyle Heights, and in 1953 they moved to its current location
in the heart of the Jewish immigrant district on Fairfax Boulevard (between
Melrose&
Farmers Market).

This
venerable old kosher deli is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week - and
that may be one of the keys to its popularity; their aging "waitresses
from hell" certainly aren't, nor is the average decor - even their
food gets mixed reviews. But people just keep coming in droves for their
huge sandwiches, low prices and sometimes rude service. And over the years
they've served over 20 million bagels, and have seen more than their share
of celebrities.Marilyn Monroewas a customer way back when - so was Cary Grant,
and even Elvis.

Their
bar, the Kibitz Room, added a stage for live bands, and
surprisingly, it became a trendy late night hangout for the young music
& tattoo crowd, with Tuesday jam sessions attracting local musicians
such as Slashfrom
Guns and Roses
(who used to work at a newsstand on Fairfax a few blocks away). The
Wallflowers("One Headlight"),
featuring Bob Dylan's son, Jakob, started out playing here at Canter's.
Acts such asBlues Traveler
have played there. Considering Canter's proximity to the trendy Melrose,
maybe it's not all that surprising...

In 1998, they shot
a movie there: Touchstone's thriller, "Enemy
of the State," which starred Will Smith,
Gene Hackman and
Jon Voight.
The Deli has also been the location for various commerciials (Hallmark,
Vidal Sassoon, etc.

Prices are low by Hollywood standards. Casual dress. (Note the historic murals on the
south side of the restaurant.)

Getting
there: From
Farmer's Market, just head
north a few blocks, and Canter's will be on your left (west) side.

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with any business described in the article above, and does not constitute
an
endorsement of this or any other business. The photos of celebrities on
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